Washington: Elon Musk has announced his departure from his role as a senior advisor to US President Donald Trump, ending his tenure as a Special Government Employee with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The billionaire entrepreneur, who also heads Tesla and SpaceX, had been tasked with leading efforts to streamline the federal bureaucracy and reduce wasteful government spending.

Taking to X on Wednesday (US time), Musk expressed appreciation for the opportunity to serve. "As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending," Musk wrote. "The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government," he said.

Musk's announcement came just a day after he publicly criticised the cornerstone of Trump's legislative agenda. In an interview with CBS, the Tesla CEO expressed disappointment with what Trump calls his "big beautiful bill," which combines sweeping tax cuts with toughened immigration enforcement. Describing the legislation as a "massive spending bill," Musk said it runs counter to the goals of his department.

"It increases the federal deficit and undermines the work of DOGE," he said. Taking a dig at the bill's branding, Musk remarked, "I think a bill can be big or it could be beautiful. But I don't know if it could be both." Trump responded to Musk's criticism on Wednesday during a brief exchange with reporters in the Oval Office. While defending the legislation, Trump acknowledged the challenges involved in negotiating the bill. "I'm not happy about certain aspects of it, but I'm thrilled by other aspects of it," he said, suggesting that the bill might still see revisions. "We're going to see what happens. It's got a way to go," he said.

(IANS)